Wormholes, Spacewarps, and Tunnels to Otherwheres
Details
Wormholes, Spacewarps, and Tunnels to Otherwheres
Shane Larson
Professor of Physics, Clarkson University
The advent of general relativity transformed our understanding of gravity and introduced us to the idea that the underlying fabric of the universe is a tapestry we call “spacetime.” That fabric is a dynamic entity, constantly evolving and changing. It can be bent, twisted, warped — and perhaps ripped.
In the hundred years that we have been aware of spacetime, our understanding of it has been informed by astronomical observations, detailed mathematical calculations, vast computer simulations, and wild speculation. Some ideas and predictions, though exotic, have been found to be wholly true; others we are skeptical of, but cannot disprove; of others, we still have no idea what to think.
This talk, will discuss the nature of spacetime and our measurements of it, and examine some of the most remarkable predictions we have made about it: black holes, wormholes, and time warps.
Shane Larson was a research professor at Northwestern University, serving as Associate Director of CIERA (Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics) for more than a decade. He joined Clarkson University in the summer of 2025 as a Professor of Physics and the Director of Integrated Engineering and Applied Science Projects. He works in gravitational wave astrophysics, studying compact binary stars and the galaxy with the forthcoming space-based observatory LISA. He is an award-winning teacher and a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He contributes regularly to a public science blog at writescience.wordpress.com and posts at Bluesky with the handle @sciencejedi.
Dr. Larson received a BS in Physics from Oregon State University (1991), an MS in Physics from Montana State University (1993), and his PhD in Physics from Montana State University (1999).
This is a Zoom meeting
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[https://space-talk.link/FEB](https://l.gourl.es/l/ce9f430c049d8c51ed00ba59cf5f625f6919a719?u=11233531)
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